Memeorandum

June 28, 2016

No New News

The NY Times adopts the tried-and-true Hillary line about "old news" in describing the final House report on Benghazi:

House Benghazi Report Finds No New Evidence of Wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton

That's reassuring for libs, who can find reassurance in the notion that they won't need to close their eyes to anything new, and can keep on ignoring the same old same old.

WASHINGTON — Ending one of the longest, costliest and most bitterly partisan congressional investigations in history, the House Select Committee on Benghazi issued its final report on Tuesday, finding no new evidence of culpability or wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton in the 2012 attacks in Libya that left four Americans dead.

The 800-page report, however, included some new details about the night of the attacks, and the context in which it occurred, and it delivered a broad rebuke of government agencies like the Defense Department, the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department — and the officials who led them — for failing to grasp the acute security risks in the Libyan city, and especially for maintaining outposts in Benghazi that they could not protect.

The committee, led by Representative Trey Gowdy, Republican of South Carolina, also harshly criticized an internal State Department investigation that it said had allowed officials like Mrs. Clinton, then the secretary of state, to effectively choose who would investigate their actions. In addition, it reiterated Republicans’ complaints that the Obama administration had sought to thwart the investigation by withholding witnesses and evidence.

The report, however, did not dispute that United States military forces stationed in Europe could not have reached Benghazi in time to rescue the personnel who died — a central finding of previous inquiries.

Still, it issued stinging criticism of the overall delay in response and the lack of preparedness on the part of the government.

“The assets ultimately deployed by the Defense Department in response to the Benghazi attacks were not positioned to arrive before the final lethal attack,” the committee wrote. “The fact that this is true does not mitigate the question of why the world’s most powerful military was not positioned to respond.”

“What was disturbing from the evidence the Committee found was that at the time of the final lethal attack,” the panel added, “no asset ordered deployed by the Secretary had even left the ground.

Timing is everything. As to how people could have known at the outset of the attack just how long it would go on, obviously Team Obama is staffed with seers and savants.

I'd be more worried about that EU airplane trying to land without being allowed to talk to the controllers in English than I would be of the Brit guy taking his chance on jumping out with his UK flag as a parachute.

Shep Smith reporting that the dead just doubled from 10 to 20, excuse me, from dix to vingt.

I said a few weeks back that Trump should prosecute Hillary Clinton publicly during his campaign leading up to, during, and after the convention. Well, I just got an eMail from Gingrich Productions in the name of Donald Trump, to wit:

On November 8th, the American people will finally have the chance to do what the authorities have been too afraid to do over these last 2 decades: INDICT HILLARY CLINTON AND FIND HER GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES.

Have they been sending these out all along and I've just missed them? Whatever the case, they are going to use the campaign as an opportunity pitch to the American people. An opportunity to do what the Obama Administration will not do -- indict her.

I likes it, I really likes it. It has the appeal of taking the prosecutorial decision out of the hands of the Obama Administration and gives it to the voters.

What the Euro weenies and lots of other people including the press don't understand or even have the brain cells to comprehend is that this referendum is non-binding and requires the UK government to proceed under article 50 of the Lisbon treaty. Until Cameron leaves in October and a new PM is elected and that PM decides to pursue disengagement, the UK is still a viable member of the EU and subject to its crazy powers.

That said, goof balls like Junker and Verhofstadt, men who milk the teat of Euro taxpayers for the last 40 years have the chutzpah to accuse Farage's salary as being the biggest waste of funds in the EU? LOL.

Then there is the little known fact that it took a long time and many voting re-do's nation by nation to get the whole EU shebang going. Does anyone believe that the yes voters when it was finalized ever thought that the EU would result in divided class of countries in which the wealthier ones had to support the weaker ones from day one until now? And that pillows, irons, measurements, pillows, tea kettles, toasters, chocolate and other common sundries or even a single countries cultural taste (i.e Marmite) would be regulated by a bunch of hidden commissioners in Brussels making over $185,000 a year?

I don't think so. But they are now ingrained into the fabric of political corruption and magical regulatory powers.

BTW, the Iowahawk tweet on the Essex philosopher and his comments are priceless.

The facts don’t matter. Facts never matter. What matters is that the “crazy racist” label picked up enough confirmation bias to stick like tar. The Clinton team won the month of June. And unless something changes, Clinton will saunter to an easy victory in November.

But remember also that Trump always makes aggressive first offers before negotiating to the middle. I predicted a softening of Trump’s immigration proposals and you see that happening now, right on schedule. Those changes in his proposals won’t be enough to change the election results because facts and policies are meaningless for persuasion. Trump would have to do far more to shake off the crazy racist label.

I now update my prediction of a Trump landslide to say that if he doesn’t give a speech on the topic of racism – to neutralize the crazy racist label – he loses. There is nothing he can do with policy tweaks, debate performances, advertising, interviews, or anything else that would remove the tarring he received from the Clinton side. But a persuasive speech could do it.

If this were the first time a Republican had been called a 'crazy racist' then Adams might have a point, but I think the racist label has lost its zing. Not to the left, of course, but to the middle and right.

"I now update my prediction of a Trump landslide to say that ... he loses."

Yeah, there is an "unless" that I cut out of his quote, but that is just more ass covering. For months we have been bombarded with Scott Adams quotes about how the polls did not matter and Trump was going to win because of his tremendous skill at "persuasion." And not just win, but win in a landslide. Now, even before the conventions, he decides Trump is going to lose and he is going to lose because Rodham called him a racist. Like no one could possibly have seen THAT coming.

I think it's all pretty much BS. Yes, the media has upped its pro-Hillary game and that is significant. But polling-wise Trump has held fairly steady. He's fallen since the bounce, but not to pre-bounce levels.

Long way to go - conventions, VPs, and events, my dear boy, events. Remain seemed like a done deal, too.

No, Theo, I suspect cheerleader already knew Scott Adams is a bidnessman who is working his game. He is feeding both sides, not surprisingly.

But he's clearly more "persuasive" with his Trump material. After all, he's hanging his hat here on a tired charge that is easily refuted. You do know that the overwhelming majority of Mexicans on the census bureau forms select "White," right?

Words matter. Trump should zero in on that and prosecute this "crazy racist" charge, highlighting how the left uses verbal warfare to talk out of both sides of mouth.

For the record, I think Scott Adams is correct in diagnosing the problem - while Clinton the candidate sucks, the Clinton *side* has been busy painting Trump as a crazy racist, which has stuck, while they've been cocooning the witch from any criticism. Because of their media bullhorn, they've gotten traction.

I'm not sure that Adams is ultimately correct about the outcome, or that his prescription - some kind of "I'm not a racist" speech from Trump - is going to do the trick. Adams has all kinds of prescriptions for Trump, but Adams didn't win the primary, Trump did.

Trump doesn't need a speech where he says he's not a racist. That's pointless.

What he needs is some black athletic guys who have been favorites int he black community, like Mike Tyson, to speak up for him independently or in independent ads on BET. Also, giving an interview to BET will help.

cheerleader, do not be despondent. As long as Trump does well at press conferences and hoolds rallies every so often, his voters will stick with him. The speeches are for the nervous nellie GOP who aren't used to freeform campaigning.

He needs those votes, too. He also needs to placate them so they aren't actively undermining him.

I know you liked Corey, but he ended up with a good gig on CNN and no doubt will get a position in Trump's administration. You cannot lose confidence, which is what the dems want.

I am a veteran of the Bush 2000 campaign, so I know what I am talking about. (Volunteer, only.) They will do all sorts of stuff to make you lose cnfidence. This is why you shouldn't spend time reading Twitter unless you are actively promoting Trump and answering back to the media people and the detestable Obama staff.

If you are too shy to do that, then don't go on Twitter. Hang in there!

Hillary:"No one has thought more about, or lost more sleep over the lives that uhhh, uhhh, we lost, the 4 Americans."

Anybody on Earth believe that?

Ughh, FOX News Host Diedra says next up will be Judge Napolitano who she says will say "we're going to have a Watergate like scandal on the E-mails," so place your bets JOMer's on absolutely nothing happening at all.

Althouse has covered this topic, as well, and she and her commenters note that: the label was expected; lots have voters have been unfairly tarred with that label in the last ten years; and that the new definition of racist is someone who's winning an argument with a leftist.

I'm leaning with Porch - a race speech has unlimited downside and almost zero upside. We shall see.

I think it's far too early to make bets on how the election will turn out, but I remember feeling very low at certain points during the primaries when I thought he could never win, because there was so much against him. And then he pulled off his great victory, but even that isn't sealed yet, and won't be until the convention. I've read that Cruz and the #nevertrumpers are working behind the scenes to upset his nomination.

I hope he doesn't let the professional consultants who are now in control of his campaign screw it up for him.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but how is there going to be a Watergate scandal about the emails with only five months left until the election, and more importantly, hasn't this entire email investigation been conducted by Judicial Watch and not Congress?

I do agree that the "racist" label has lost its stick from being applied way too often. Most people look at Orlando and see it for what it is.

Agree it was inevitable, and pre-selected.

But seriously, they've thrown this at him nonstop for how many months now and Clinton still can't muster up more than a 5-6 point average lead? Also, Trump's support has not fallen. Most pollsters have noted his unusually high floor.

Anyway, I don't think the email thing will go anywhere. But also it won't give the Dems an excuse to replace her. Drip, drip, drip.

late to the party, but i had a thought about Benghazi. What are the odds Ambassador Stevens would be alive if he had supplemented his requests for more security with a donation to the Clinton Global Initative?
Posted by: buzzsaw90 at June 28, 2016 05:13 PM (EqWBv)

I don't accept the premise that Trump has been successfully branded as a "crazy racist."

The anti-Trump propaganda machine wants people to believe that he's a crazy racist. But they also want people to believe that the election is now virtually over because they've successfully branded Mr. Trump as a crazy racist.

Because all of the above is rooted in anti-Trump propaganda, that is a yuge signal to me, not to believe a word of it. Consider the source and go from there.

henry, just so. The Uniparty is threatened severely by Trump and has no incentive to help him. They cloak their noble dissent in "he's not conservative enough" but that's not the real reason they hate him.

Adams turned off the comments because it had become completely infested with Hillbot "Correct the Record" trolls. That it became a target indicated to me that it was a successful comment section. I was having a blast on it - too bad.

Just a question for interest, of those following today's Turkey Terror attacks. Has anyone heard any reporter tell us that a "Red" Security Travel Warning was issued just yesterday? If so, any particular reasons? If no, I wonder why not.

And that pillows, irons, measurements, pillows, tea kettles, toasters, chocolate and other common sundries or even a single countries cultural taste (i.e Marmite) would be regulated by a bunch of hidden commissioners in Brussels making over $185,000 a year?

I think Adams has concluded that Trump is not only not going to win in a landslide, but also is going to lose. I think he made the comment that Trump needs to give a speech on race because he knows Trump isn't going to give one. That provides Adams cover.

I think Adams got lucky in his prediction of Trump's success. The JOMers who predicted Trump's strength last year had better analyses than Adams's persuasion explanation. Trump tapped into disgust with the elite. He was helped by not being subject to attack ads in NH after he lost Iowa. He was a more resilient campaigner than he was given credit for.

I think Trump is in the same position he has been since Comrade dropped out and The Hill started consolidating her support with the help of Pravda USA. He's the underdog with a realistic shot of winning. His main problem now, I think, is the GOP.

"If abortion is really about women's health, why has the Supreme Court struck down a law that required abortions to occur in a safe and clean environment? One specification required clinics to make sure hallways are wide enough to admit gurneys so that paramedics could reach injured women in the case of complications. Is that an "undue burden?" To make sure women have access to life-saving medical care?"

...and did women KNOW that the abortion method might be changed to get better baby parts to sell? Did they even know the baby's eyes, scalp, heart, arms & legs were being sold for $30 to $100 per specimen? Did they KNOW THAT?

right but what is islamic state's angle, assuming it is them, perhaps nusra front, who were nurtured in part by MIT, just cutting the Sultan down to size, does it relate with Erdogan's pact with Netanyahu,?

Media is also a big problem. For example, the media, in reporting on the attacks at Ataturk Airport, won't give Trump credit for emphasizing since the beginning of the campaign the importance of border control and illegal alien control. But media would be all in for the Dem candidate no matter who would be the GOP nominee.

Ataturk Airport is one of the most inefficient, dirty and uninteresting airports in the world even with all the renovation and modernization. I used it numerous times going from London and our projects to our office in Istanbul. Always had my guard up for the Kurdish rebels back then before AQ. But then was a secular Turkey unlike the Erdogen wannabe Wahabi/Salafist strictly Islamist Turkey.

He has brought this on himself thinking Turkey's pro-Islamic stance would isolate them. No way is Turkey isolated. They are the enemy.

Clarice, not just the Brits but the Germans. The Germans are the main vacation people of the Turkish coastal cities from Mersin to Antalya to Izmir. Wonder how many of the Germans got the death warrant?

Janet, the same Supreme Court said small business had to be wheelchair accessible-- requiring the same kinds of alterations and expenses as gurney accessible would. But equal treatment meets penumbras means the unicorns are cool with whatever.

Just saw the clip of John Kerry in Aspen talking about the Turkey Attack. The dumb shit called them Daesh. Why. If the EU refuses to use English why is this boob still using some French term? Kerry kept sticking his tongue out like my 102 year old Grandmother. It was exceptionally creepy. What's up with that?

Mostly against Rubio, cheerleader, not Trump. I was amazed at watching the ads how other candidates didn't focus more on Trump, especially since after Iowa he was clearly a serious contender if not already the favorite. But I don't think that lessens Trump's achievement.

or one of the bounty hunters pursuing hans, now Ben Coes new book out today I believe pursues a notion that Islamic State, was in part aided by US govt resources, they call the villain Tristan Nazir, and peg him as Egyptian,

He's the underdog with a realistic shot of winning. His main problem now, I think, is the GOP.

Concur, TC.

The question to McConnell ought not be "Do you think Trump is qualified to be President?"

The question ought to be "Do you think a Republican Senate Majority Leader who refuses to answer the simple question ('Do you think the Party's Nominee is qualified to be President') is qualified to be the Senate Majority Leader?"

It's like when those NPR snots r-r-roll their Rs and pronounce foreign-sounding names (even of Americans) with their pretentious attempt at accents. It's all supposed to show how much smarter than us they are. "This is "SEELvia Poggi-OH-li" (born in Providence, RI).

I think O'Reilly's body language lady described the Kerry tongue-protrusion as a "insecure emphasis" to any remarks he was making. IOW's he is making it all up as he speaks. Of course, we don't need a body language expert to tell us that but it only validates what we already have surmised.

Speaking of Mitch. A nice young undergraduate came up to the library desk today to borrow a pen and ask what the official address of the university is (it's complicated because buildings here don't have real addresses). He was filling out an application. I can read upside down pretty well, and the application was for an internship in McConnell's office.

I so wanted to comment in a way that indicated I was also on the dark side, but it's very against library etiquette to comment on anything like that, and one of my little prog co-workers was right next to me and who knows what she might have said, if she even knows who Mitch McConnell is.

So I just wished him extra good luck in DC and that I hoped he'd get hired soon. He was super nice. Even if I'm not a Mitch fan this was a good kid.

A major pet peeve of mine here in town when white libs always go waaaay out of their way to pronounce place names as Spanishly as possible, to show they are down with the Mexican people and not the invader Anglos. Especially they like to do this when the pronunciation of said names have been Anglicized over the years.

For example there is a road called Manchaca that leads to the little town of Manchaca. Locals have pronounced it "MAN-chack" for approximately ever. Libs of my acquaintance, and the auto-recordings they play on the bus, say "Mahn-CHAH-ka" as it would be in Spanish. But even a lot of people I know of Mexican descent say "MAN-chack."

These same libs never say Meh-hee-co or Pah-ree or DOITSCH-lahnd, though - I wonder why. Probably because they would sound like the pompous twits that they are.

Anonamom
I detest Josh Earnest and his smirking today was particularly disgusting.
Porch and Janet
Excellent posts on how these new abortion rules would have made women safer and that now with this ruling 3 women on th SC want to make it riskier
And unsafe for women.
Just because articles appear about taking away the nomination, I firmly believe that is not going to happen.
No one is listening to GOPE.
They are hearing Trump's message.
Every terrorist attack increases Trump's chances.
Hillary is on defense attacking Trump because she continues to be wrong on everything.
I am disappointed in the Benghazi report but I fully believe the really damning information is being hidden by Defense , State totally corrupt and Obama himself.
An election was more important than 4 American lives as Jim Jordan put it.